Ontario Strengthening the Apprenticeship System

Ontario is continuing its strong support of the apprenticeship system through a $55 million investment that will enhance three apprenticeship programs. Each initiative will build on previous support for capital projects, preparatory apprenticeship training and assistance to apprentices during in-school training.

The Apprenticeship Enhancement Fund (AEF) has provided $16 million in annual support to colleges and other training institutions for the past three years, including $2 million targeted to removing accessibility barriers. The investment announced today will provide an additional $23 million over the next two years to the fund.

Pre-Apprenticeship training targets groups that are underrepresented in the trades, including at-risk youth, Aboriginal people, newcomers and women. It is complemented by two other programs that provide an introduction to careers in the trades: Ontario’s Co-Op Diploma Apprenticeship Program, which allows students to pursue diploma courses while receiving on-the-job training leading to certification, and the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program, which provides Grade 11 and 12 students with an opportunity to earn cooperative education credits through skilled trades work placements. The investment announced today will provide an additional $13 million in pre-apprenticeship funding over two years.

Ontario also currently offers financial support to apprentices during in-school training, including support to those who are not eligible for Employment Insurance. It also offers accelerated in-school training to allow apprentices who are laid off or job-threatened to attend levels of schooling back-to-back without returning to work. Funding is provided on a per diem basis and is linked to the training requirements of each trade. Funding levels have not been adjusted since 2008-09. That is why the government is investing more than $19 million over 3 years to increase the amount that training delivery agents receive per day, per apprentice to $61.36 in 2015-16 and to $63.09 in 2016-17 and beyond.

Over the past decade, Ontario has significantly expanded the apprenticeship system. New annual apprenticeship registrations have grown from 17,000 in 2002-03 to more than 28,000 in 2012-13. An average of 10,400 Certificates of Apprenticeship have been issued annually over the past four years.Currently, 24 colleges and 44 union- or employer-sponsored centres are providing training for more than 150 trades in four sectors.

Quick Facts

Almost one in five new jobs in Ontario over this decade is expected to be in trades-related occupations.

Ontario provided grants and loans of about $164.5 million to the apprenticeship system in 2014-15.

New annual apprenticeship registrations have grown from about 17,000 in 2002-03 to more than 28,000 in 2013-14.

The Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program targets groups that are underrepresented in the trades, including at-risk youth, Aboriginal people, newcomers and women. Participation in the program is free, as are textbooks, tools and safety equipment.

The per diem for in-class training is increasing for the first time since 2008-09.